Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-09-07
Will RUN AGAINST GEORGE
John swinton Likely to bs q Socialist
Champion.

John Sxinton Likely to be . Socialist
Champion.
ATLANTA. Ga, Sept "a remarkable
story was printed of the discovery on
Hermit Island. in the Chattahooohee
river, Of two strange human beings, who
are believed to have been fugitive slaves.
t'Mr. z, C. Moulterie and the writer,
says the narrator, "took gums and went
down into some wooda opposite the island
squirrel shooting. After a brief rest we
set QUITO explore the isIand. Ali around
the island near tie shore was one rocky
cliff, with here u there an ugly cedar
clinging in the crevices of the rocks from
whose branches hung the long white
river moss. In the interior the surface
sank into 9 low, fiat land, covered with
tall white oaks and occasional patches OF
low shrubbery. III these trees we found
U game. One shot from my com,
panion's gun brought a squirrel to the
ggound. Immediately followed by two
black naked objects, bearing the out-
ward semblance OF human beings. They
ran bent low, at almost lightning spssd,
and disappeared over the little mound,
some 300 yards away. In an hour. we
$500 y .GSA1oStSa Jul lAbklC
band, a half-dozen, and with guns and
dogs va captured the haIf-starved, naked
savages. They rstreated to their den.
under q ~protrnding rock, and, when sur
rounded by men and dogs, surrendered
with no resistance.
They fell upon their faces and whined
piteously, as II to bog for mercy, but ut
tering no word that wal Ineligible. In
no word from them has been un-
tderstood excspt the word Dog which
they pronounce with istinctness. Their
fear OF the dog almost approaches mad
ness. They v iii monosyiiables of
an unknown tongue. Their den was
under q ledge OF rock, and was sheltered
from wind and raip. No indication OF
firo was seen about the place. The only
sign OF habitation was a pile of straw,
leaves and moss in the den, and yarmints
scattered about It Id supposed that the
meat was eaten raw. The men were
perfectly nude, except q thin coat of hair
which nature las furnished since their
Punishment. They stand and walk half
bent, as IL creeping to their prey. The
larger one Of thsSn IL tall and muscular.
He seems about 45 or so ysars old. The
other Is small, thin aud honey, and had
doubtless reached his three score and
ten. The nails and teeth Of both have
grown long and hooked, so that they find
no difficulty In tearing the flesh from a
carcass. With their long and brawny
arms they can hnrl a stone with as much
accuracy as the riieman shoots his ride.
& There 10 but n theory as to why
this barbarian exists on Hermit Island,
and that is that the negroes, during ths
time OF slavery, sought this az a place of
refuge from their masters. That they
have never left the Island since their
first advent is almost certain, siHce they
would In such 3 case have provided
themselyes with fire and means to OBJ
tain food. BIt how did they get there
is q question unanswered. Certainly
not as we did, for the fall Is receding,
and has been IN contact with the tunnel
only = few years, while these negroes
y been on the island not less than
twenty-five years. No effort was ever
made by white men to reach the place,
and on account of lbs rocky and barren
appearance Il vas not supposed to be
tiIlabie.